Shifting Sands V 20
by V.Valentine
Summary: A FF7 and Star Trek: Voyager Crossver. Reformatted for Fanfiction.net. As always, please R and R. Chapter eight is now up.
1. What in the

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"Shifting Sands"

Part One

By Vincent Valentine

A/N : I don't any of these characters. I don't own Star Trek: Voyager or Final Fantasy 7, so don't try and sue me. And this is a crossover fiction, so it may be a little confusing to those of us that still haven't seen either Star Trek: Voyager, or still haven't played Final Fantasy 7, you poor, poor souls. Okay, that's it. Ja ne!

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The depths of space were like those of waves in a ocean. Normally quiet, but when something disturbs them, they tend to ripple and crash in the proverbial rocks. Such is the case, when a ship drops out of a Trans-Warp conduit. The ship damaged badly, one of the engines shut off, in fear of an explosion.

"Report, Harry!" Captain Janeway commanded of her ensign operations officer.

"Starboard warp nacelle is off line. Same with warp drive and maneuvering thrusters. We've got Impulse only for the time being." Harry Kim responded, calming down from the battle.

The Borg cube had done such damage to the Voyager, while trying to capture the small ship in one of the Borg's Trans-warp tunnels. The federation ship was forced to cut off early, from their planned destination: Earth.

"Form repair teams immediately. I want those systems back on-line by the end of the day. Tom, where are we?" First officer Chakotay asked to Tom.

Tom Paris hastily checked over co-ordinates on the helm control panel as he softly shook his head. "The sensors are fried. All I can offer is the viewing screen." Tom justified, looking back to the two commanding officers. 

Captain Janeway looked briefly over to Chakotay, before looking back to Tom. "On screen then, Mr. Paris." Janeway stated simply, looking to the viewing screen. Tom nodded then punched up a few commands, activating it.

The planet that showed up looked like Earth very much. The same blue oceans, the same land masses where they should be, and the white strands of clouds hanging in the atmosphere. Everyone on the bridge held a gasp, looking to what might be his or her home.

"Wait a minute. Did we make it?" Harry asked skeptically, looking to everyone, and couldn't help but having a slight tinge of excitement into his voice.

"We won't know for sure until sensors come back on line, but it is possible." Tuvok stated in the standard Vulcan logic that had kept him steadfast in all the years on Voyager.

"Let's not get excited, everyone. We don't know for sure yet, so I don't want any jumping to conclusions." Kathryn Janeway spoke reasonably, trying to not get anyone's hopes up. Still, even she had to admit deep down inside; she was excited about this being their home. A home that they had been away from for seven years, traversing so many dangers and obstacles to reach once again. "Prepare landing procedures, Tom." Janeway said, then sitting back down in her chair.

"Yes, ma'am." Tom said, an excited smile on his face. Voyager slowly entered into the planet's orbit, then settling down into the planet's atmosphere.

The fireworks danced along the night sky, brilliant colors of red's and blue's and any other colors thought imaginable painted on the black diamond canvas. On the ground, a celebration was occurring like no other. Dancers danced, people performed tricks, and jubilant music played for all to hear. The celebration was an anniversary, the anniversary for the Saviors of the Planet. Or at least that's what AVALANCHE was renamed after the Meteor incident. Most of them attended this celebration, a five-year anniversary to show their appreciation, but all were not in attendance.

"I don't see why I have to wear a party hat." Red XIII stated curtly, the paper hat attached to the white string under his furry chin. His tail swished back and forth on the chair he was setting on, an obvious sign of annoyance with such decorations cramping his mane.

"Because it looks nice on you, Red. And deep down you know you like it." Tifa stated with a smile, her dress replacing her normal white shirt and skirt, her Premium Heart not anywhere on her fists. She showed that continual cheerfulness that annoyed some, but was pleasant to others.

"The hat is a lot better than this dress, Red. Gawd, not only is it tacky, but it's not even my color." Yuffie complained, nothing new to the others since they had been there. She slouched in her chair, eyeing the crowd. "There's so many people here, they have Materia, and I can't even "borrow" it from them. Jeez, what a boring night." She continued on, another member of AVALANCHE looking to her.

"God%#@!@^,Yuffie, quit complaining. This is our celebration, so enjoy it, kid." Cid states simply, taking a long drag from a cigarette, hanging between his lips. He slightly smiles as he blows a smoke ring, looking to it as it gradually floats into the air.

"I thought you told Shera you would quit." Vincent says quietly, meant only to Cid, instead of the others. The sometimes-quietest member of AVALANCHE spoke to his friend, trying see what he started again.

Cid looks over to Vincent, smiling softly. "Only around her and the baby. Do you see either of them around us?" He says with a mischievous smile, then taking another long puff from the cigarette, then blowing it back into the air. 

Vincent shrugged simply, then sat back in his chair. He nervously tugged at the collar of his shirt, seeing that the bow tie around it was a little tight for his taste. The whole suit entirely was out of his taste, nothing like the black clothes and crimson cape he normally wore.

"Relax, Vincent. Even you can manage to have a little fun for this. Or are you afraid you'll spoil that bad-ass image to everyone?" Cloud remarked off to his left, looking to his friend with a broad smile. An icy glare from Vincent made the smile disappear slightly, Cloud moving to scratch the back of his head. "Come on, guys. It's our celebration, and all we have to do is sit through it and make tiny speeches at the end." Cloud stated simply, leaning back in his chair. They all sat on a grand stage, and were allowed to wave to everyone as they passed by. Some of them even signing autographs for excited fans.

Everyone had on the planet had praticly gotten to know each of them, after they saved the planet from Meteor. Their faces were broadcasted as such, proclaiming them saviors of the planet. All though each of them had thought that they were only doing their job, they come to think that what they did was a notable thing, and decided to celebrate in it.

"Hey, if Reeve put this on for us to show his thanks, why isn't he down here with us?" Yuffie asked, somewhat angrily looking to Cloud.

Cloud shrugged, looking to the teenage ninja. "Why would he? He's the president of ShinRa now, and if he did come down, he'd probably come as Cait Sith." Cloud tried to explain to her, then thinking how humorous it would be to see the small robotic stuffed cat in a small tuxedo, making a speech in front of everyone.

"Damnit, can't you all relax? This a party, numbskulls." Cid stated, somehow getting a glass of champagne, lightly sipping on it. He then set the glass down on the arm of the chair, looking to them. "This is a party overdue for a long-ass time. We should-" Cid began, but was interrupted by a bright flash of light from up in the sky. Many of the people turned to look at the sky, then started to turn and run, as they could see something approaching the planet, very rapidly to add worse for wear. Images of Meteor began to flicker through all of their heads, and how is only a matter of feet from landing on the Earth, barely escaping total annihilation. "Shit." Cid managed finally, looking to the others.

Cloud stood up rapidly from his chair, looking to them. "All right, people. We're going to go check that out." Cloud ordered, already beginning to strip out of the suit, and into more comfortable clothes, should a fight happen. "Let's mosey." He said, starting to move off the stage. He looked back to see of them still standing there, looking to him. Cloud sighed, and put his hands on his hips. "Alright, alright. Let's move out." He gave in, as the others nodded, and followed him off the stage.


	2. Enter The Enemy

**Shifting Sands**

Part 2

By Vincent Valentine

A/N: Thank you all for such positive support for my first venture in Fanfiction. I can guarantee that this chapter will be longer than the first one, and our enemies will be introduced. As always, please Read and Review, and thank you once again. Ja Ne!

Dust kicked up where Voyager began to touch down. The massive landing feet touched down on the grassy fields outside of Kalm, the emerald blades parting under the Federation ship. Soon, as the dust began to settle, the sparkling blue transporter sillouhettes appeared, signaling the crew's entrance to the New World.

The away team cautiously looked around, some raising tri-corders for scans of life, some cautiously raising hand phasers in case of any hostile actions towards them. Slowly, they moved about, spreading out slightly, looking over the unfamiliar terrain with raising doubts that this was not their home.

"I don't think we're in Kansas anymore, Toto." Tom spoke dryly, looking to the scenery around them, closing up the tricorder and setting it to his side. He looked back to the others, trying to think of what to do next. "So what should we do? Sit here and wait for someone, or go off exploring with the chance we may run into some of the locals?" He questions to the group, Tuvok looking up from his own scans of any possible threats.

"I would not recommend such an action. We do not know how technologically advanced this culture is, and scans show they are in a late twentieth century setting. The Prime Directive forbids us in interfering." Tuvok states, sense and logic dripping from his response.

" It wouldn't hurt to look around, would it?" Harry asks, a little tinge of disappointment fill his question, himself wanting to look around anything that looked like Earth. " We are explorers, after all." He adds quickly after, trying to prove his case to all.

"I agree with Harry. We are explorers, and we are on a New World. And it will give us a chance to look around while the teams work on necessary repairs. But we will stick together, and make sure that our presence here doesn't interfere with the Prime Directive." Chakotay says, looking off into the horizon. "It looks like there's a populated city over there. We should head that way." He replies further, putting the phaser to the side of him, then starting off towards the city that seemed to have darkness all around it.

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Cloud and the others raced out of the city limits, only stopping to change in suitable attire if a fight did break out. He imagined none of them were comfortable wearing any of that, he knew he wasn't anyway. Adjusting the Ultima Weapon to fit on his back more easily while he ran, he could see the gates to the outside world, from the deep dankness of the slums. He stopped at the gate, looking to everyone.

"All right people, this is it. Make sure your weapons are set." Cloud says, in a slightly stern voice, telling them all of the seriousness of the situation. "Yuffie, start handing out the materia. I want to be prepared for anything we might encounter. You and Vincent take the flanks. Start blasting with magic and weapons, if it comes down to that." He says to the young ninja thief, the girl nodding in response. Cloud then looks to Red XIII and Cid. "I want you two to give them any support they need. I'll be taking the front." He says in a tone that meant no buts about the decision. 

"Hey Cloud, what do you think that was out there?" Yuffie asks, slightly nervous, as she hands out various materias to everyone, not even bothering to look what she gave the rest of the party. It had been too short since the incident with Meteor and Sephiroth. She was still too young to die in her own eyes, and this was just an uneasy reminder of that to her.

"I don't know, Yuffie. But I know that we have to deal with whatever it was. I'm glad Tifa stayed back to handle panic control in Midgar." He says to her, the last part of the statement ending softer, worried about if Tifa would be alright when they would be gone. He then looks to them all, with a resolved determination. "It's time to go." He says, turning to slide the key card into the slum gate. The huge metal door slowly slid open, giving them access into the outside world again, and into a new unknown.

The members of AVALANCHE raced along the plains of Midgar, as fast as their feet could carry them. Vincent took up the lead with Cloud, running at a speed the others thought not possible from their most aloof member. The dark warrior made his way up a small cliff, looking out to the plains up ahead, his eyes widening to the size of dinner plates. He hastily went back to the others, immediately talking in a soft tone to them all.

"There's a giant ship up ahead, possibly about three quarters of a mile. From what I can tell, it's not meant for either the sea or just the air." He says softly, not wanting to alert anyone that might be over hearing, just wanting to keep it within the group.

"You mean that damn thing is a spaceship? I thought we were the only bastards that could go out into space." Cid asks wondering in a tone that showed no heed for the sensitive nature of the situation. Vincent only replied in a shrug, meaning that it was either possible or he didn't know. 

"Calm yourself, Cid. I can sense others approaching." Red XIII says quietly, lightly sniffing the air. "I already have their scents." Red continues on, moving around slightly, trying to pick up what he can. "There are four of them. But only three of them are human. The other is from a species I know nothing of." He concludes, looking to Cloud.

"I don't like this at all. Something is going on here, and we need to find out what." Cloud says to them all, telling them of his decision already. "We're going to meet those four. But be on your guard. We have no idea what to expect." Cloud states, looking over the small hill, even now he could see the others coming from his developed SOLDIER senses. He started to get up, looking to the others and moving out towards them slowly. The others slowly followed behind him, Vincent covering himself in his cape. Inside, his hand reaching to his side, lightly resting on the Death Penalty.

"Well, so far, it's been all quiet on the western front." Tom says, the dullness of the situation setting in. The simple walking around, exploring was not his cup of tea, when compared to being able to pilot one of Starfleet's most advanced ships.

"That could change very quickly, Tom. Don't get lazy." Chakotay chides softly, still looking around the strange territory. His hand rested lightly on his phaser, his senses telling him of something approaching.

Tuvok stops his tracks, the others stopping as well, looking to him. "Someone is coming. We should make ourselves known." He says, looking off into the horizon. Soon, everyone else could see a small group of five coming towards their position. 

Chakotay nodded in response then gripped his phaser once he saw the one in the front of the group wielding a large sword on his back. The others in the away team took this as a time for them to draw their weapons as well. "We come in peace. My name is Chakotay. We're from the starship Voyager." He called out to the group, now easily in eyesight to the rest of the team.

Cloud stopped, and the others did so as well, all taking defensive positions with their weapons once they saw the new people brandishing weapons of their own. "If you come in peace, lower your weapons. We don't mean to start a fight." Cloud calls back, the Ultima Weapon gripped tightly in his hands, meant to strike out, if they fired first.

Chakotay looked to the others in his team, and motioned for all of them to put their weapons away. The rest of the crew responded in kind, as Chakotay looked back to Cloud. "My name is Chakotay and we've done what you asked in good faith. Now lower your weapons as well." He responded to the other leader, Cloud motioning for the others to do so, as he sits back his massive sword in its sheath.

"Fine. I'm Cloud. Nice to meet you, and the other induction filler. Now, what are you doing here?" Cloud asks, trying to figure out why people of outer space would want to come to the planet. His memories of the only two species that he knew of that came from space was Jenova and the Cetra, and neither of them brought any pleasant images back to his mind.

"Our ship was damaged in a battle. We landed here to explore and make repairs. As soon as that's done, we'll be on our way." Tom replies to the other group, looking over each of them, his eyes bulging slightly at Red XIII. "It isn't going to bite us, will it?" He asks to Cloud, pointing a finger to the guardian of Cosmo Canyon.

"HE will not bite anyone without provocation. He isn't a wild beast." Cloud says with a slight tone of anger in his voice, having one of his friends being referred to in such a way. True, not many people knew of the remarkable creature, but it wouldn't hurt any of the newcomers to show some manners to other beings.

"I may be a little frisky at times, but I would hardly call myself wild." Red replies with a smirk to Cloud, the leader responding to him with one of his own. Red then looked back to the newcomers on the Planet. "I am Nanaki, but I am often referred to by my friends as Red XIII. I offer you my welcome." He says with a slight nod of his head.

Harry looks to Red, his eyes the size of dinner plates. "He talks! I mean, he really talks." Harry stated rather excitedly, looking to others in the away team. Cid smirked with a small laugh, lighting up a cigarette while he leant on the Venus Gospel. 

"Don't get your drawers in a twist, kid. The cat talks too much sometimes." Cid stated in smirk, taking a long drag from the cigarette. After realizing the smoke into the air, he looks to Chakotay and the others. "The name's Cid. And I'm the best damn pilot and mechanic this side of the galaxy." He stated, the obvious pride in his voice. Tom looked to the aging pilot with a smirk, crossing his arms over his chest.

"That may be in these backwoods of the universe, but for what it's worth, I'm the best pilot around. I'm Tom Paris." He says with a smirk, to Cid, the other pilot's eyes narrowing in disgust for the young hotshot. 

"We can save the rest of the introductions for later. I suggest we move on to our ship and continue there, if that's alright for the rest of you." Chakotay suggests, looking to cloud and his team. Cloud looks to his others, and since no one spoke up in a negative response, he then looked back to Chakotay.

"Fine with us. Lead the way." Cloud says with a tone of slight confusion still, looking back to Chakotay, nodding slightly. Chakotay offers him a small smile, and then with a nod he lightly taps the communicator badge on his chest.

"Chakotay to Voyager. Nine to beam up." Chakotay says to the transporter office, still on board the ship. Cloud and the others looked slightly worried for a moment, as the world slowly dissolved into a world of brilliant sparkling blue light.

Somewhere deep in space, the Borg Queen looks on to the Planet's surface from a viewing screen. 

"Janeway has decided to seek refuge on that planet. We will assimilate her and her crew, along with the rest of the world she is on. How unfortunate for those beings." She says, a light smile on her face, as she looks up to another viewing screen, the turning of gears and metal could be heard from her cybernetic implants in her body. 

"Send cube 1734 to that planet. Assimilate all life forms." The Borg Queen demanded, as she saw the gargantuan cube race off through a Trans-warp conduit towards the Planet. She smiled lightly, wallowing in the fact she would soon have the humans that dared to defy her. Resistance is futile.


	3. Introductions from both sides

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Shifting Sands

Chapter 3

By Vincent Valentine

A/N: Thank you all so much for the positive reviews. I've decided to write this chapter as fast as possible for all of you. Heh heh, Barret will not be in the story unless I bring him in as a cameo for the last chapter, or if you guys beg and plead for him. Anyway, it's time for our FF group to take a tour of Voyager. Thanks! Ja Ne!

The azure light eventually faded from Cloud's eyes. He had to blink a couple of times to get his eyesight back into focus, as did the rest of AVALANCHE. They all felt tingly, like after the use of materia after a long period of time, but once everything became clear again, they saw they were no longer on the planet, but inside the massive Starship.

Chakotay looked over them all, and smiled softly. "I don't imagine all of you are accustomed to using Transporters. The effects will wear off shortly." He offered to them, knowing that the first time he was transported anywhere, he felt like he was going to lose his lunch.

Yuffie looked up to him with hazel eyes, her ivory skin tainted with a soft green color, her head bobbing and swimming. "Urk." She stated simply before she heaved her banquet dinner onto the transporter pad. Everyone jumped a step back as Yuffie decided to grace them with showing that she had the green salad along with the baked potato for her evening meal.

Harry immediately rushed over to her, but then took a side step to the right when he saw how much vomit was actually there. "Um, are you alright? Do you need to go to sickbay?" Harry asked, still slightly looking to the mess, then looking back to her. With a shake of her head, Yuffie declined, which meant that Harry got the fortunate pleasure of getting to go back to a safe distance.

Cid smirked slightly as he lit up a cigarette, looking down to the young teenager. "Damn, kid, that must be a new record. Even for a shrimp like you." He said, chuckling softly. He gave her a reassuring pat on the back once he saw that she got back up again, wiping her mouth clean of the residual mess.

Chakotay couldn't help but smile at this. He imagined he would have probably done the same thing, if he were in their position. "I think we should move to the briefing room. I'm sure the captain will want to speak with you all, and it will give the cleaning crew a chance to get in here." He said, moving all of towards the doors, which automatically slid open. All of the people silently exited the room, moving down the respective halls.

The Starfleet ship was massive. To AVALANCHE, it was an impossible maze and labyrinth of passageways and technology. It was bigger than anything any of them had ever seen, even bigger then the Highwind airship. Cid had the look of a kid in a candy store, as he was sure that he had actually died and went to his proverbial heaven. Even Vincent, who was still at the back of the group, had a slight smirk on his face impressed with how far the human race could possibly go.

Chakotay stopped suddenly, and with a smile, looked back to them all. "I thought you might want to see this. This is our main engineering facility. This is what powers Voyager through space." He says, motioning them all to go in, as the metal doors swished open.

All of AVALANCHE looked on in dawning wonder, looking to all of the flashing lights and people in the facility, working on their individual tasks. A sharp yelp of excitement brought all of there gaze's back to Cid, who just looked ahead of them all, looking to the Warp Core. The swirling colors of blues and whites, along with hum of electricity and power running through there, filled his mind of fantastic images of possibly putting something like that in the Highwind.

Tom smiled to Cid, as he looked to the Warp Core himself. "Like a kid in the candy store. This is really what gives Voyager the ability to travel through space. This allows us to travel at warp speeds, even going as fast as warp nine point nine." Tom stated, looking to them all, Cid moving to past them all.

The aging pilot didn't even care when the cigarette fell from his awe-stricken mouth. He gently placed the Venus Gospel along the banister surrounding the core, looking up and down the mighty machine of science with shimmering light in his eyes. He gently ran his hand along the smooth texture of the core itself, drool slightly escaping from his mouth. Red XIII padded up to his friend, can't help but to smile at him, seeing is how this was probably Cid's dream coming true in front of him. 

"We should explore the rest of the ship, Cid. We can come back to this later." Red XIII stated simply, looking up to him but received no response. Red XIII softly shook his head, as he wrapped his tail around the Venus Gospel and biting into the baggy part of Cid's pants, having to drag the pilot out of the room.

After finishing the rest of the tour, they all convened in the briefing room. The members of AVALANCHE took sitting positions in the available chairs that were surrounding the table, setting their weapons down by the wall, most of them leaning against it. Tuvok, Harry, and Tom had left Chakotay in the room by himself, knowing that the captain would be soon enough.

As if on call, Captain Janeway came in from the bridge, a warm smile on her face as she greeted the visitors to her ship. "Welcome everyone. "I'm Kathryn Janeway, Captain of the starship Voyager. I understand that you have all received the complimentary guest tour by my first officer, Chakotay." She said with a smile, looking to Chakotay briefly, before looking back to them all.

"I can imagine you have a lot of questions. But first, I'd like to get to know all of you first. We're explorers by nature, and new cultures absolutely fascinate me." She said again, the same inviting smile that made everyone feel comfortable during this time of heightened confusion. Clouds looked to the others in his group, shrugging lightly, as he cleared his throat and stood up first. 

"I'm Cloud Strife. I'm an ex-SOLDIER from a town called Nibelheim." Cloud stated simply, not knowing what else he should add to it. The visitors from Voyager would know nothing of their exploits with Sephiroth or Shin-Ra, so there wasn't any point in telling them all about that. He nodded simply, and sat back down, as Captain Janeway nodded in return. Vincent slowly got up after him.

"My name is Vincent Valentine." He said in his basic voice that meant that was all there was to him that he was willing to share with anyone new. The neck collar of his crimson cape hastily came up and hid his mouth from view, just showing everything from the nose up now, as he sat back down. Captain Janeway smiled to him, offering a nod to the person who wanted to keep to himself. "If you ever get to meet a member of my crew named Seven of Nine, I think you two would get along very well." She stated to him, her tone conveying one of truthfulness. Cid smirked at Vincent, then stood up.

"I'm Cid Highwind." He said with a smirk, giving Chakotay and Janeway a brief thumbs up before starting to sit back down. Before he got all the way down, he shot back up again, meaning that he had something more to say. "And can I get some tea?" He questions to her, Janeway smiling in return. "Once the meeting is over, I'll show you how to use that replicator over there, and you can have as much tea as you want." She conceded to him, as he nodded and sat back down. Red XIII gently raised himself up to the table, placing his front paws on top of the tabletop.

"I am Nanaki, also known as Red XIII. I am the guardian of Cosmo Canyon." He states, his mildly deep voice shocking Captain Janeway as she was about to say something, he just smiled and nodded. "As much as everyone else on your ship has noticed, Yes, I talk." He says, shaking his head softly, looking over to Yuffie who smirked as she gently scratched under his chin.

"Don't be bashful, Red. You know you're a pretty kitty." She said in a sickeningly cute tone, that even made Red XIII's good eye narrow at her. With her traditional 'Nyuk, Nyuk, Nyuk,' Yuffie got up and bowed deeply. "I'm Yuffie Kisaragi. I'm the best thief around. Oh, I'm also Lady of the Pagoda in Wutai." She hastily admitted, as she sat back down, twirling a mastered Cure materia in her hand.

"It's wonderful to meet all of you. I'm sure we'll begetting to know all of you a lot better as we continue to st-" Captain Janeway began as her Comm badge chirped slightly. "Harry to Captain Janeway." Harry started off, as Captain Janeway responded. "Yes, Harry, what is it?" She asked, as her ensign responded to her. "Ma'am, Sensors just came back online and long-range sensors just picked up Trans-warp activity. There's a Borg Cube on it's way here." Harry finished, as Cloud and the others looked to the Starfleet captain, seeing her eyes widen. "Understood, Harry. All Senior officers report to the bridge." She commanded as she then looked to their guests, all of which had a look of utter confusion on their faces. "I'm sorry, but there is a problem that we must attend to. We're going to have to send you back down to the planet's surface." She stated, leaving no room for argument, as she turned towards the entrance to the bridge. Unfortunately, there was opposition.

"Wait a minute. We can't just sit back and watch if these "Borg" are going to threaten our home. We're going to help you." He said, immediately reaching for the Ultima Weapon. Twirling it around in the air a couple of times, he sets back in the sheath on his back. Captain Janeway smiled weakly at him, and nodded. "I understand. Everyone can come to the bridge. You can see the Borg for yourself." She said as she left the briefing room, the others following behind her.

Somewhere, back in space….

The Borg Queen watched as Voyager took off from the planet's surface. "I expected this much from you, Captain. It is a shame that this will be the last time we meet." She stated, a sick form of delight impending with her tone. She looked off to the viewing screen that showed the inside of the Cube that was approaching Voyager. "Prepare the stasis lock." She commanded, as she tilted her head ever so slightly, pleased with how this would turn out.


	4. Venturing into the unknown

**_Shifting Sands_**

Part Four

By V.Valentine

A/N: Gomen Nasai, everyone. I know that I've been holding some people in anticipation of what is going to happen net, and it's been ions since I last posted a chapter. I do have my reasons, I.E. lock of motivation and Final Fantasy 2. I want to thank everyone who posted a review, my heart and thanks go out to all of you, and I hope that you'll still be interested in what's going to happen in the story. That's it. Ja!

A Trans-warp conduit soon appeared above the planet, the Borg cube looming over the planet's surface like a waiting guillotine. It soon came to halt, stopping in front of the blue orb, as if waiting for something. The Borg Queen smiled at the sight of this planet, her eyes looking over its surface, then to the readings the sensors were displaying from the planet's surface.

"This planet is like Earth. We will take much joy when we assimilate this planet." The Borg Queen states with a soft tone to her voice, almost in anticipation of being able to add their technological and biological additions for the will of the collective.

The sensors soon beeped, relaying important information to the Queen. Her eyes slightly widen when she looks over the new sensor report. "There is a unidentified energy source flowing throughout the planet. We have never encountered this form of energy." She says, almost regretfully, as she looks over to a drone waiting for her orders, whatever they might be. "Transport a sample of this to Unimatrix zero one three, then surround it with a containment field." She beckoned out as the drone nodded simply, and went off to complete the order.

The sensors then beeped once more, view screens activating to life with pictures of Voyager coming towards the Cube. "Janeway. How nice of you to bring us your ship." The Borg Queen states with a smile, as she looked up to the ceiling. "The stasis lock is ready. Make sure the federation ship is in range before firing." She commands, to no one in particular, as lights and controls flickered to life, processing the orders.

The crew of Voyager and the select members of AVALANCHE all assembled on the bridge of the federation ship, as Captain Janeway paced nervously around the front part of the bridge. She then looked to Tuvok, hoping that they were ready enough to take on the Borg. 

"Is everything ready, Commander?" Janeway asked, her voice not faltering and she was proud of herself for not doing so. 

"As much as can be expected, Captain." Tuvok states simply, looking over the tactical station. "Shields are at full strength, a full compliment of photon torpedoes are armed and waiting, and the phaser banks have been set to a rotating modulation." He continues on, as he then looks to Janeway. "But, I expect we will only get about twenty shots off, before the Borg ship will begin to adapt, at the most." He offers out to her, almost as if a warning.

"Understood, Mr.Tuvok. Target their shield generators, and prepare to fire." Janeway commanded, as Cloud looked to her, a slightly confused expression on his face.

"You mean to tell me that ship can adapt to your weapons?" Cloud questioned incredulously, as he looks around. "What happens when they do adapt?" He questions out further as Chakotay looks to him. 

"We continue to change our phaser rotations, but that won't last long either." He says truthfully, as he goes back to looking over his ship reports. "All decks report being ready. The personal phasers have been fitted to fire in a rotating modulation, and the Doctor is starting to work on anti-assimilation techniques." He says, turning to Janeway in his chair, looking to her.

Yuffie gulped nervously, as she clung tightly to her Conformer, looking over it slightly to make sure there was still materia in it. "Assimilation? What does that mean?" She ventured out nervously as Janeway turned to her. 

"The Borg assimilate other cultures, and take their individualities and make them part of their collective. In essence, they make you one of their own." Janeway explained simply, yet her tone was softer, trying not to scare the young girl more than what was already happening.

Yuffie nodded meekly, fighting back an urge to vomit right then and there, as she looked to Cloud. "Do you think they'll be able to adapt to Materia?" She asks cloud, the fear starting to rise in her throat. Cloud looked to her, and just shrugged simply, as Red XIII padded up to the young girl. He put his paw on the back of her leg, in a comforting gesture.

"Don't worry, Yuffie. We'll make it out of this fight." He says softly, but in a comforting manner as Yuffie nods, looking down to the great fire beast and even manages a smile for the guardian of Cosmo Canyon.

"Captain, the Borg ship is in visual range." Tuvok states simply, as Janeway nods. She rises from her seat, and looks off to the view screen. "On screen." She says simply, as the screen flickered to life, showing the towering Borg cube getting closer and closer towards them.

Cid almost dropped the cigarette in his mouth, as his jaw went slack looking over the gargantuan ship. "God almighty." He says softly, his eyes trailing over the surface of the impending danger as Cid looks back to Cloud. "How in the blue hell are we supposed to fight against that? Even Ultima would be nothing against a thing like that." Cid states, slightly worried, as he leans against the Venus Gospel in his arms.

Vincent then looked over to all the others, finally being able to tear his eyes away from the giant ship. "Maybe the solution isn't fighting the ship. Maybe the answer lies in inside of the ship." Vincent says in wonderment, as he walks over to Cloud, his arms still crossed over his chest. "Captain Janeway said that these Borg can adapt to energy weapons. None of us in AVALANCHE use those. And I think that since Materia relies on the power of the Ancients, they won't be able to adapt to it. We should hit them from inside." Vincent says, finishing off his idea, as Cloud looks to him.

"Good idea, Vincent." Cloud says as he then looks to Janeway. "I think if we get inside of that ship, we can do more damage if we had a team in there and a team out here, fighting them on both fronts." Cloud says, as Janeway looks to him and nods in determination and the exciting prospects of that idea.

"I agree. We'll try and get in close enough to wear we can open up a hole big enough in their shields to transport you in. But I can't promise that once you're in, we'll be able to get you out on a moment's notice." Janeway offers out to him grimly, as Cloud nods.

"We're ready to face that possibility. Just do the best you can." He replies in the same grim fashion as he looks back to the rest of AVALANCHE. The rest of the group nods back to Cloud showing their support. "I guess that's it then. We're ready." Cloud says simply, as Chakotay nods. 

"Go down to Transporter room one. By the time you get there, we should be ready to send you through." Chakotay says with nodded affirmation as the small group of AVALANCHE nods and heads off of the bridge down to the transporter room.

Janeway then rises from her seat, and turns to Tuvok. "Could we open up a hole big enough to send them through, if we concentrated on one point of the shields, and fired both phasers and photon torpedoes on that same point?" Janeway asked hypothetically, as Tuvok thought about it briefly, before nodding.

"It is possible, Captain. But as you said, I do not know if we can keep transporter lock on them at all times." Tuvok offered out to her, as Janeway nodded. 

"We'll have to cross that bridge when we come to it. I think this group can come through on their end of the deal. Let's make sure we do the same." She says firmly, with no sign of failure in her voice and accepting no contestation.

Tuvok nodded and began to make the preparations to the phasers and torpedoes. Janeway then moved back down to her chair, and sat back down as she turned on the Comm system. "Janeway to Transporter room one. Is everything ready down there?" She asks, the commander in charger down their replies. 

"Everything's ready down here, Captain. Our guests are ready and waiting." The supervisor states as Janeway nods. 

"Good work. Arm the torpedoes and forward phaser banks." Janeway commands, her battle face settling in with its firm determination. "Fire at will, Mr. Tuvok." She commands as Tuvok presses the firing sequence for the front weapons.

Phaser and torpedo fire erupt from Voyager, knocking into the Borg Ship shields. It connects with several bright flashes of light, as the transporter chief looks to AVALANCHE.

"We're ready to send you over. Energizing now." He says simply, as Cloud and the others nod simply and the beginning familiar blue light of transportation envelops them and sends them over onto the Borg Ship, sending them into a very unholy land.


	5. Inbetween: New Chapters!

Hello to everyone! This is Vincent Valentine here, letting you know that this could be a teaser set up for a new chapter or chapters for my story, Shifting Sands. Is it real? Or is it some elaborate April Fool's day joke? You just have to wait until the sun rises tomorrow.  
  
~Vincent Valentine 


	6. That looks painful

Shifting Sands: Pt.5 By V.Valentine  
  
A/N: Wow, it's been a long time since I updated this story. I know that some of you have been waiting and waiting for me to get off my ass and put up another chapter, so for those of you out there, here's the next installment. I'm also working on the next chapter, I'm hoping to have that up about Friday Morning. Also, I need ideas for stories pas Shifting Sands. Any ideas? Write me at jkozee@hotmail.com to send your idea. If your idea gets picked, you get my thanks and a ham. Okay, I'm lying about the Ham, but you do get my thanks. Also, My thanks need to go out to my reviewers, especially Death Blade Prime, Squall Leonheart, and Ly Frickendorffer. You guys are great! Okay, that's it. Ja!  
Part Five: It seems we may be out of luck.  
  
The Borg Ship was massive, bigger then anything Cid had ever seen or even dreamed. It reeked of the stenches of oils, grease, and efficiency, although it did have a slight evil taint to it. The place was just downright creepy, and as he walked further and further into the ship, his grip became progressively tighter on the Venus Gospel, with every step. Clearing his throat, somewhat nervously, Cid looks over to Cloud. "Ya know, to be honest Spike, I think I'd rather face Sephiroth again then be here right now." He says with a grim tone of voice, his eyes darting from machine to clank, all seeming to work together in unison.  
  
"I'm afraid I'm going to have to agree with Cid on this. I don't like it here. It's.. unnerving and unnatural." Red XIII states as he pads along the walkways, to the side of Cloud, wanting to keep in their tight formation. He certainly wasn't a big fan of cities to begin with, but this; this would put Midgar to shame.  
  
"Keep it together, people. We can't have them wrecking the planet. Not for what Aeris and we did to save it. I'm certainly not going to let a bunch of 'aliens from beyond the fifth dimension' wreck what we did. Let's just do what we came to do, and get out of here." Cloud says, his voice bolstered with determination, which in turn gave the others a little more confidence in what they were doing.  
  
"I suppose we should. However, none of us have ever met the Borg. We don't even know what one looks like. How do we know they aren't as tall as Zoloms, and maybe as strong as Sephiroth?" Red XIII questions, his head bobbing up and down a he continued to press on, moving along the side, to at least make sure that they weren't going to get attacked by surprise.  
"Because, I believe I just found one. " Vincent says, up ahead of the group, looking down over a railing that seemed to be an opening or a much larger space. The others gathered around him, looking down to see a single Borg drone walking along a path, towards a large holding area. The eyes of all of the AVALANCHE members followed the drone's path, looking to find the walls, floors, and ceilings covered in holding units for the Borg.  
  
"Holy Bahamut on high." Cid states, fear starting to swell up within him more. He then looked to Red XIII. "I don't suppose you've already counted how many Borg there are just right here, have ya Red?" Cid questions to the great fire beast, as the beast just lowers his head, looking to the floor.  
  
"I lost count somewhere about two-hundred thousand." Red states, looking up to Cloud. "I don't believe you want to know the odds for this one. All I need to say, it looks bad." He adds on to it, as Yuffie, looks over the railing.  
  
"Wow. We sure are far..up.here..Urk!" She barely manages to finish off, before upchucking once more, and watching it fall completely down, until it landed on top of just a passerby drone. All of them couldn't manage to tear their eyes away, until they all saw the red sensor light of the drone's right eye, cover all of them.  
  
Vincent was the first one to speak after that. "For the record, I will be disappointed if we die because Yuffie puked on that robot, and gave us away." He says, a light smirk coming onto his lips, until he brings Death Penalty from his side, leaning over the railing, and unloading a single blast from his firearm, then a moment later seeing the puked on drone, collapse and fall.  
  
It would have been a victory, normally, but when the sounds of computers beeping and mechanics turning, and then feeling twelve of the eye sensors from the drones behind them upon their forms. Each member of Avalanche taking a defensive position, cloud out in front with the Ultima Weapon, with Yuffie and Vincent on his flanks, Red out in front of all of them, claws out and teeth barred, and Cid in the back, looking around nervously, for possible enemies surrounding them.  
  
As the drones began to slowly advance on them, Cloud's azure eyes burned with a inner fury and passion, but yet when he was in the middle of this heated battle, one thing really seemed important to him right now. Tifa. She was in his thoughts, and he had to come back alive to her. For her. With one battle cry, Cloud lunged forwards, bringing the Ultima Weapon down across two of the front drones with superior skill and ease separating them from about waist down.  
  
Another blast from the Death Penalty could be heard, taking out a drone, and seeing it collapse onto the floor. But three more drones turned a corner from somewhere, and casually stepped over the body as if nothing had happened. The same effect was for everyone else, as the original twelve, seemed to turn into thirty six slowly advancing drones.  
  
"God *^$#@%! These *%^&#& don't know when to quit. Maybe I'll have to give out a lesson." Cid states, making sure his lit cigarette was still in his mouth, as he leaned his spear across his back, then spread his arm out across a field of the drones, slowly coming towards him. "Steel Bladed Sword!" Cid commands, as a few moments later, he disappears from the Borg's line of view completely.  
What stood now in front of the Borg Drones, was not Cid Highwind. The mighty God Odin sat atop his six legged horse, Slepnir, as if studying them seeing what they would do. Drawing his sword from his sheath, Odin lunged forward on his horse, rushing past the Borg drones with a few splashes of silver light here and there, until moving past them completely, then disappearing into nothing.  
  
As Cid reappeared, a smirk came onto his face as he saw the Borg continue to advance, but falter and fizzle out, sparks and fire erupting from their bodies, as all of them were split in half. He turns, taking a long drag on his cigarette, then letting it out. "Ya see, now that's how it's done. If you numbskulls were paying attention, you'd have seen something mighty impress-" He says, trying to finish his thoughts, but couldn't, as more drones then before slowly approached towards the group, completely disregarding the fallen bodies of their comrades.  
  
"There's too many of them. Switch to high-level Materia!" Cloud calls out, just as a green glow envelops him as he brings his hands forward and together. "Flare!" He shouts as the drones in front of him, erupt in powerful flame, but his jaw drops as he sees more being added to the back.  
  
Vincent was looking to all of this, seeing his Death Penalty not doing much damage, or anything that was noticeable to the Borg. And if the others were having trouble with using their material, that really only left one option for him.  
  
And that's where Vincent snapped.  
  
A loud and feral scream could be heard erupting from Vincent's lips, as his muscles began to expand and change to a deep purple color, forming hard lizard like scales over his skin. Horns protrude from his forehead, as a long, swishing tail shoots from his tail bone, as his eyes glow an insanely red color, a lot more stronger then the normal color that surrounds his eyes when in his "human form". The others of Avalanche looked to Vincent, and immeadiately went behind a regeneration chamber, for some kind of safety.  
  
"Vincent's changing! Everyone get down!" Cloud commands as he sheathes the Ultima Weapon, as Vincent's last part of the transformation, the large bat-like wings, was completed. There, the mighty demo lord Chaos, floated in mid-air, looking to the Borg. The Borg in turn, looked back to him, as one even managed to insert the assimilation tubials into Chaos's leg.  
  
That drone wasn't so lucky. The next moment, it was blown apart by a energy blast from Chaos's right hand. Chaos could feel the attempt to poison him, with their nanovirus. It was a shame that Chaos was immune to all poisons and viruses, but the Borg didn't really know that.  
  
Everyone watched as Chaos, started to rip through the numbers of the on coming Borg Drones. Cloud looked around to see if they were any more coming, and then sheathed his sword, seeing none. "I say we let Vincent handle the drones. Let's go tear shit up!" He says, as he and the others, went down a separate passageway, and down towards anything they thought they could break. 


	7. Around The World

Shifting Sands Ch.7  
  
By V.Valentine  
  
"Around The World"  
  
A/N: Well, it's about time I updated this, isn't it? Valentine's Day is finished, and I'm already working on the sequel to it. And maybe I'll put another story before the sequel to Valentine's Day. But I apologize for the wait, and I'll try and finish this one more quickly. As always, I own nothing of what I'm writing about, and making no profit off of anything. You know, that old chestnut. Onto the story!

* * *

"Take that, you god-damned robot." Cid exclaimed as he finished working on the last of the drones in that area. Wiping off the sweat on his forehead with his scarf, he moved over to join the others, just as they were taking a moment to relax. "I don't know how much longer I can do this, Spike. I may be the best there is, but I'm getting old." Cid said tiredly, moving to rest on a railing.  
  
"We're all tired, Cid. But if we don't end this now, these things are going to take over the planet. And after all of our hard work and sacrifice, we need to make sure that doesn't happen." Cloud says, as he looks to Yuffie. "Anything you can do for him?" Cloud asks as he looks to the young ninja.  
  
Rummaging through her sack, Yuffie pulled out a green materia and set it into her conformer. "Regen!" Yuffie called out as the comforting red light of Regeneration flowed over Cid. Soon, after the light was gone, Cid moved to stretch out his limbs for a moment.  
  
"That feels better. Thanks, Squirt." Cid said with a grin, then picking up the Venus Gospel in his hands, ignoring the deadly look that Yuffie was shooting him. "Just you wait, old man. When you sleep, that's when I'll get my revenge." Yuffie said venomously, as Red XIII gently pawed up to her.  
  
"As much as I would like to see this battle of wits continue," Red begins, the obvious sarcastic tone of the message clear. "We should probably be advancing before more of the drones come." Red says, motioning up to the path in front of them all. "The smell coming from this way is a more foul than the others. I think our target will be there." Red says, moving out in front of the all, as soon the others were following after him.  
  
"I wonder how Vincent's doing with all of those drones back there." Cloud wondered to himself, as he shook the thought away from his head, and continued to proceed onward.  
  
Meanwhile...  
  
Chaos sat on top of a makeshift throne of dead Borg bodies neatly stacked in a shrine fashion. Recently tearing off one of the drone's arm, Chaos was quick to tear the skin and muscles off of it, and eat it; the extent of fighting the drones made him hungry. He knew Valentine didn't have the stomach for it, so Chaos remained in control for right now.  
  
But seeing that there was nothing more to eat here, Chaos tossed the arm away and lowered his head slightly, just as Vincent's features began to show through. Just as quickly the transformation happened the first time, it ended the same way. Vincent looked to the pile of dead bodies he was sitting on top of, and then slowly climbed down off of it, grabbing Death Penalty in his hands then holstering it.  
  
Taking a moment to look over Chaos's handiwork, Vincent looked to the massacre in front of him, then showed a face of disgust as he lightly placed a finger in his mouth from his good hand. Wiping the horrible taste out of his mouth, Vincent looked to the blob that was on his tongue. Shaking his head lightly, he wipes it off on his cape. "I thought we agreed about not eating anything that takes 10W-30, Chaos." Vincent said with a sigh to no one in particular, then moved down the hallway, trying to catch up with the others.

* * *

"Lock on all phasers and photon torpedos to the Borg energy conduit." Janeway barked as she looked to the massive ship that was the Borg Vessel in front of her. "Fire at will." Janeway commanded, looking off to see the brilliant amber lights of the phasers and photon torpedos hit up against the Borg Cube.  
  
"Borg Shields are down to 90%. They are rapidly rebuilding." Tuvok stated as Chakotay moved to look at his statistics panel to the left of his chair. "Keep it coming. I'm looking at energy fluctuations all through out the ship." Chakotay said, as Tuvok nodded, and fired another volley of phasers and torpedos at the Borg Cube.  
  
"Tom, keep us moving around the cube. Maybe that'll distract them and throw off their aim." Janeway stated, as Tom looked back to her and nodded. "Yes ma'am." Tom said with a semi nervous smirk as Janeway looked over to Harry. "Any word on our team inside?" Janeway asked, as Harry checked to see if he could get any readings on them.  
  
"I've got some strange readings on here, Captain." Harry announced, as he looked them over. "All of them seeing to be using an energy source that our sensors can't even identify. And one of them just changed into something completely different from what the sensors had on him before." Harry says, looking over to her. "I can try to patch us into one of their viewers to get a look inside." Harry theorizes as Janeway thinks it over for a moment, then nods.  
  
"Do it. On screen, Mr.Paris." Janeway stated, as Tom nodded, then turned on the viewing screen to look inside the Borg Ship. All of them were now looking inside the Borg Pathway, and then looking to Chaos as he was ripping the drones he had just fought. "One of Species 8472?" Tom asks, looking to chaos and trying to decide what to classify it as.  
  
"No, it looks different from them. Harry, can you identify who or what that is?" Chakotay asks, as Harry nods and tries to confirm the species identity. His eyes widening a moment, Harry looks back to Captain Janeway and Chakotay. "You're not going to believe this, but it's one of them. It's Vincent." Harry said, as Janeway looks from him to Chaos on the screen, still destroying drones left and right.  
  
"That can't be. Is he a shape shifter?" Janeway asked, as Harry shakes his head. "No, he's not one of them. I can't see anything that would link him to the Jem Hadar or the Dominion." Harry says, as he too looks to the screen. "I think he's naturally like that." Harry finishes, as Janeway sits back in her seat. "Well, it looks like the Borg are having more trouble than they expected." Janeway says with a slight smile.  
  
"Captain, the Borg Shields are now down to 35%. They just suffered a massive power loss." Tuvok stated, as Janeway looks back to him. "How?" She says, as Tuvok looks back to her. "They just transported a large quantity of something off of the planet, and back to the Gamma Quadrant." Tuvok finishes, looking back to his panels.  
  
"What would they take off and send back there?" Janeway wondered as she looked back to the Borg Cube in front of her. "I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth. Fire at will." Janeway commanded, as Tuvok nodded, and fired another volley of phasers and torpedos at the Borg Cube.

* * *

Meanwhile, back in the Gamma Quadrant...  
  
The Borg Queen looked on in satisfaction as the newly received energy source from the planet materialized in front of her. Reaching out, she lightly skimmed her fingers across the containment center for the material. It's emerald green glow shined brightly, illuminating her chambers as she looked over it in affection.  
  
"If we needed to describe it, we would call this pretty." The Borg Queen said with a small smile, as she looked it over, then moved back to her throne. "Proceed with the scan." The Borg Queen said out loud, as tubials dropped from the ceiling and injected themselves into the green material.  
  
"First scan shows a high energy content. A hundred times more powerful than diliththium." The Borg Queen said with an amused look as she read over the readings. "A high reproductive rate, and endless possibilities for application use...What?" The Borg Queen began, but look shocked as she looked to the container.  
  
When she had turned away, she hadn't noticed the now shadowy figure inside of the container. He had a human appearance, a warrior by the looks of him. And as the emerald liquid showed more of his features, his platinum silver hair could be seen. His skin soon regained its peach color, as a pair of black pants and a black coat appeared on his body.  
  
But what stuck out most of all, was the large object in his left hand. Possibly more than six feet long, it almost was partly two things, being slightly separated at the base. And as the Borg Queen looked to the figure, in a flash, a pair of emerald piercing eyes was upon her. With a quick slash of the object in his hands, he cut open the container in half, sending the green liquid around him splashing out as he stood in the center of the remains of the container.  
  
Sheathing Masamune at his side, Sephiroth's eyes slowly looked up to the Borg Queen, meeting her emotionless eyes dead on. "I assume you're the one that brought me here?" Sephiroth asked mildly, slightly looking around, just as the Borg Queen looked back to him and nodded. Sephiroth looked back to her for a moment, before letting a smirk grace his face and unsheathing Masamune from his side, and a instant later lopping off the Borg Queen's head.  
  
Seeing it roll around on the ground, he let the smirk remained as he sheathed the mighty weapon once again. "I thank you." He said coldly, looking over he head and body. "What manner of being are you?" He asks to himself, then stopped, just before turning around to see at least a thousand Borg drones standing behind him, their red sensor lights scanning over him.  
  
Sephiroth turned and looked them over for a moment, before unsheathing Masamune and gripping it in his hands again, raising it up to be horizontal to his face. "Let's play." Sephiroth said with a slight smirk, before leaping towards the Borg Drones, Masamune already raised up for a killing strike.

* * *

A/N: Dun dun dun! Sephiroth is back, baby. And he's gonna kick some ass. But a good question might be is who brought him from the lifestream to the borg ship? I promise you all answers in the next and final chapter of Shifting Sands! 


	8. In The End

In The End

By V.Valentine

A/n: Well, this has certainly been a long time coming. The end of Shifting Sands. I'll be working on "Upon Fields of Gold" next, and then I may take some time off before working on the sequel to Valentine's Day. As always, no money was given to me for these Characters, and I don't own them. You know, that old bag.

I'd like to thank everyone that reviewed this story, and their patience for putting up with me for this long. Go check out Valentine's Day and Upon Fields Of Gold and review those too!

Ja ne!

* * *

Cid had never seen such a sight. Standing there before them, a large, glowing generator hummed before them, pulsating and crackling with energy. Red had led them down a long shaft that lead to what he believed was the center of the ship, and this certainly seemed like it. The bodies of several Borg Drones were in their wake, mainly due to Cloud's perseverance, and Yuffie's Materia.

"Holy Bahamut on high." Cid breathed in, as he looked to Cloud. "So what do we do? Blow it up?" Cid asked, looking to the leader of their group. Cloud, sheathing the Ultima Weapon on his back, looked back to Cid.

"I guess, but we can't do it here. We cause an explosion, the whole ship will probably go with it." Cloud mused, walking up to the massive power generator. lightly placing a hand on what seemed to be a glassy surface covering the titanic tower. Looking over and down to Red, he spoke again. "What do you think?" Cloud asked, as Red started to pace around the power generator.

Padding around the tower slightly, he then stopped as he reached Cloud again, and then looked to him. "I think that our best coarse of action would to be time detonate it. That would leave us enough time to get out of here and to blow up the ship." Red surmised as he looked back to the generator.

"That's all fine and good, but none of brought any goddamned explosive charges. All we've got is Materia." Cid stated bluntly, as Red looked away from the tower for a moment, then to Cid.

"I don't think we'll need to use charges. I believe I can figure out a way to blow it up and still get us out of here, using their own technology." Red stated, then looked above him to a panel covered in multicolored buttons and configurations. Moving to stand up on his hind legs, he looked over the panel and began to sniff at it. "Fascinating." Red stated simply, as he looked back to Cloud. "I may need a few minutes." Red said, as he experimentally began to punch at the buttons.

"Take your time, Red." Cloud said simply, until a large thud erupted behind them all, as all of them turned to look around, save for Red, to see a Borg Drone come out of the floor. But this drone was different. While the normal drone was normally sized to be like a normal person, this one had to be at least ten feet tall. It's eye sensor moved to scan the intruders in front of it, just as soon as its organic eye moved to look over them all.

"Actually, Red, scratch that. Hurry the fuck up!" Cid exclaimed, just before rushing forward with the Venus Gospel in his hands, raised for a downward stab, before the Borg Sentinel slapped it away with a movement of it's giant hand.

* * *

"Report, Harry!" Captain Janeway barked, as Harry wearily looked up from his console.

"I'm reading several energy fluctuations throughout the whole ship. Power surges are running rampant throughout the whole Cube." Harry reported back, as Janeway nodded as she looked over to Tuvok.

"How much longer can we keep this up?" Janeway asked, as Tuvok looked over his own readings.

"Borg Shields are down to 73. We no longer have any more photon torpedoes, and phaser strength is down to 50, with all of the modulations." Tuvok stated looking to Janeway, as Janeway nodded, looking straight ahead to the view screen. Aside from some very visible scorch marks from phaser fire, the Borg Cube remained seemingly intact.

"Let's just hope our new friends aren't having any trouble. Fire at will, Tuvok." Janeway stated with determination, as she sat back down in her chair.

* * *

The Borg Sentinel was a lot tougher and hit harder than any of the drones they had encountered before. Cloud leaned against his sword tiredly for a moment, looking over the Borg Sentinel that was slowly coming towards the huddled group of Avalanche.

"At what point, did we lose control here?" Cid asked, panting heavily. Cloud looked to him for a moment, before letting a small smile grace his face.

"I don't think we ever had control of this one." He says simply and truthfully, as he then forced his legs to stand up and grip his sword in his hands in a defensive posture. "If anybody has any bright ideas, now's the time." Cloud called back to the rest of the group.

"I believe I have an idea." A voice called out softly, but firmly, as Vincent stepped into the view of them all from the shadows. Letting a small smile grace his lips, he looked to Cid. "Take a breather, Cid. You'll need to get off the ground for this one." Vincent said as he then looked to Cloud and Yuffie. "Cloud, distract him long enough to let Yuffie summon Leviathan. I'll take it from there." Vincent said with determination, as Cloud and Yuffie nodded, as Cid moved to sit on the same platform that Red XIII was on.

"We can do that." Cloud said with a grin, before launching himself at the Borg Sentinel, forcing it back with stroke after stroke of the Ultima Weapon. Yuffie moved directly behind him, pulling her Conformer off of her side, and looking to the red Materia orb right in the dead center of the shuriken.

And behind her, Vincent stood, letting the rage and anger wash over him yet again.

"Yuffie, now!" Cloud yelled, just as he knocked the Borg Sentinel up against the wall, then moving to sheath his sword on his back, then jumping up to grab on to one of the metal walkways. Yuffie then shot forward towards the stunned massive drone, leaping into the air, just as multicolored lights and symbols surrounded her. "Tidal Wave!" She cried out, just before disappearing from sight, and Leviathan taking her place.

The great sea beast reared back its head, and then shot it forward, bringing forth a massive tsunami with a loud and piercing screech. The tidal wave slammed the Borg Sentinel back up against the wall more, just as Yuffie reappeared again and moved to join Cloud up on the walkway. The Borg Sentinel just barely had time to look, to see a massive Frankenstein creature towering above him.

It breathed in heavily, just as it brought its fist back, the gray skin starting to change to yellow as it crackled and hummed with electricity and power. With a massive roar, Death Gigas shot his arm and first forward, placing the electrified hand on the Borg Sentinel's head, letting the natural attraction with electricity and water occur on his skull, just before it blew to pieces and the headless body falling to the ground.

Everyone, save for Red, moved back to each other, just as Vincent slowly started to change back to normal. As the transformation completed, Cloud looked to him with a slight grin. "Maybe I should let you lead the mission next time." Cloud says as Vincent shrugs and looks to him. "I just saw what was right in front of me. No big deal." Vincent says, but then gives him a small smile, as they moved back over to Red.

"There, I think I've done it." Red says as he hopped off the platform joining the others. "I set it for three minutes." Red says simply, as Cid looked to him, almost choking on the fresh cigarette he was lighting. "Goddamn it, Red! How are we supposed to get out of here now?" Cid proclaimed, just as the familiar blue white aura of Voyager's transporters engulfed them all.

"Oh." Cid said simply, as they all vanished back across Voyager, just before the Borg Cube blew up into a magnificent explosion that is still being talked about on the Planet's surface, to this day.

* * *

"We owe a lot to you and friends. I'm sorry that we don't have more time to spend together, but as you know, we have a home to get back to. Just as you have yours." Captain Janeway said, as she looked to all of them on the Transported pad. "I wish you all the best of luck, and hope that maybe, some where and somehow, we'll meet again." Janeway said with a warm smile, as she extended her hand out to Cloud, who shook it warmly.

"To you as well, Captain. I hope you all get home soon." Cloud said with a warm smile, just as she let go of his hand. But just then, everyone turned to the transporter room doors, just as Vincent came in later than everybody else, and joined the others on the Pad.

"I apologize for my tardiness." Vincent said simply, but not wanting to let anyone see his face for some reason.

And just as Vincent had came in, Seven of Nine followed, her eyes not wanting to look to anyone else's, and her hair a little unkempt for some odd reason.

Looking to Vincent, then back to Seven of Nine, Cloud gave Vincent a raised eyebrow look, just as a small smile graced his face.

"Energize." Janeway said simply, just as the transporter fields enveloped all of Avalanche, and sent them back to the Planet.

* * *

Standing in the same field that they had been taken from, the members of Avalanche looked around, and saw that they were truly back home. "It's good to be home. I'm not flying again for a year." Yuffie said grimly, just before vomiting into the tall grass behind her.

Red nodded, smiling, but then looked up, as he sniffed the air slightly. "Is that perfume?" Red asked, as he followed it over, to find the source.

Vincent.

"Vincent, why is there perfume on you?" Red asked confused, as Vincent shrugged, and bent down to pluck a red rose from a bush. Moving to sniff it lightly, then looking over it's surface, he looked back to Red.

"Ours is not to reason why." Vincent said, simply, but with a grin on his face as he moved to walk off towards Junon, to catch the boat back to Costa del Sol, and then onto Nibelheim.

* * *

Meanwhile in the Delta Quadrant...

Space was momentarily silent. It was momentarily empty. Until a speeding Borg Cube cut through space, accompanied only by Sephiroth's maniacal laughter.

* * *

"Well, I hope you're happy with all of this." Aeris said softly. as she looked over to her astral counterpart. Both of them were sitting on a star that the Borg Cube just passed by. She looked over with emerald green eyes, to a middle aged man, in swim shorts and sitting on a lawn chair underneath an umbrella, sipping on a Pina Colada.

"Happy? My dear, as you'll find out, I'm always Happy. Unless I get stuck in the affairs of a worthless race." Q said with a grin, looking to her from underneath his sunglasses.

"My friends aren't worthless. But I cannot believe you allowed Sephiroth to come back. Do you know how much damage he will do?" Aeris questioned as Q looked to her.

"Absolutely. That's why I let him come back. And why he's off picking out his new planet to conquer. And I hope he conquers more than one. I'll have my eyes on him." He says, just before snapping his fingers, making the chair, the umbrella, and the drink fade away. "Besides, who says that's the only thing I did?"" Q asked with a mischievous grin.

* * *

Back on the Planet, midnight...

Cid moved to groggily get up into the kitchen, walking over to the fridge, and pulling out a beer from inside. Wincing as he flipped on the light switch, he moved to scratch his stomach, as he looked to something lying on the kitchen table.

Not noticing anything there before, he moved to pick it up and look it over. But as he read it over, his eyes got as wide as dinner plates.

"Shera! Get your ass up and get some tea on the stove! We got work to do!" Cid hollered running back to his wife, in their bedroom. And there lying back on the kitchen table, laid a small data pad, with a bold headline across the top.

"WARP CORE BLUEPRINTS"

* * *

Well, it's finished. It's done. Hope you all liked it. It may seem rushed, but I wanted to include everything. Read and Review! 


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